blood transfusion and chemotherapy compatibility

leslie :-D · Mar 21, 2008

the few times we've had an order for transfusions and chemo, we did it separately...

thinking that if there was a reaction, we needed to know the source.

leslie

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2008

You could do it through separate line if you were running a 24 hour chemo infusion and it couldn't be stopped. Otherwise, I would probably run the blood once the chemo is finished unless it was an emergent situation, in which the chemo would be held anyways.

Most of our protocols have very specific criteria for starting the chemo in the first place, for example ANC >1000 or platelet could >75K. So it is pretty rare that someone's counts are low at the same time that the chemo is being given unless it is a BMT patient or something.

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2008

I would like to ask your info.and idea regarding giving chemo and PRBC's .Is it possible to give it at the same time?Though in seperate peripheral lines?Thank you very much...

Also, almost never should chemo be run through a peripheral line, and with vessicants it's forbidden at my hospital.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 23, 2008

Also, almost never should chemo be run through a peripheral line, and with vessicants it's forbidden at my hospital.

I have some stupid chemo questions too... are you referring to a VAD that is peripheral too? Or no? Can a VAD be peripheral? I have not started my Med-Surg II rotation yet. Thanks.:typing

RN1989 · Mar 24, 2008

I have some stupid chemo questions too... are you referring to a VAD that is peripheral too? Or no? Can a VAD be peripheral? I have not started my Med-Surg II rotation yet. Thanks.:typing

What is your definition of VAD? The VAD that I am familiar with is a Ventricular Assist Device and has nothing to do with IVs or chemo.

miko014 · Mar 24, 2008

Also, almost never should chemo be run through a peripheral line, and with vessicants it's forbidden at my hospital.

:confused: Are you serious???? We give chemo through PIVs all the time! And I am at a huge hospital (1000+ beds) with a very respected cancer program. We give a lot of chemo. I'm actually more comfortable giving IV push vesicants through a PIV because it's a new IV that I just started and I can see the site (I know something is wrong immediately vs. a port or PICC where you don't see where it's actually going once you push it). I just gave doxarubicin IV today, but it was a 24 hour bag - that was through a port. I wouldn't want to give a long bag through a PIV but I hate giving long bags of vesicants anyway. Seriously, we do a lot of chemo through PIVs, I'm really surprised that you don't.